


The New Normal

by onlyosolo



Category: Women's Soccer RPF
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-05
Updated: 2017-04-16
Packaged: 2018-10-15 03:32:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,771
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10549346
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/onlyosolo/pseuds/onlyosolo
Summary: A Hope-less Reign in a Hope-less city





	1. Dread

**Author's Note:**

> I will not be OK for the Sky Blue/Reign game on April 15th.

There was a feeling in the pit of her stomach. Excitement? Anxiousness? Nervousness? Yes to all three but there was a fourth feeling she did not expect. Dread. It was dread that Kelley felt as she boarded the plane with her Sky Blue teammates. A plane that was heading to Seattle for their first game. A Hope-less Reign in a Hope-less city. It was new for Kelley. Normally, she had been texting the tall Keeper a week in advance trying to weaken the steely resolve of Hope (never to any success). Normally, Kelley would have been chomping at the bit to get on that field with the aspiration of scoring against the greatest of all time. but things were not normal. nothing about this trip was normal for her. 

As much as Kelley was feeling morose about the obvious absence she would encounter on game day, she would never let it affect her spirit when it came to training and time with her teammates. She still joked and teased and acted her goofy self. But there were moments, before they boarded the plane when she glanced at the ticket that said Sea-tac, sitting by the tiny airplane window, hearing the captain say they were about to land. These quiet, self-reflective moments where memories of the two of them would permeate through Kelley's consciousness. The weight of those memories were almost too much for her to bare. It used to paralyze her, but time has been an angel in helping her adjust to this new situation. Kind of.  
She slid her keycard in the door to her hotel room, exhausted from the days travel. With no team activities planned for the rest of the day, a nap was surely the days top priority. Kelley , curled up with a pillow, let her eyes shut and drift into slumber.  
**********  
2014

"Hello?"  
"It's me."  
"I know Kelley, I have caller ID"  
"then why did you answer hello in the form of a question?"  
"I don't know. Is there something you needed or is this your bi yearly call to aggravate me before our game?"  
"i haven't the slightest clue what you mean by that Miss Solo but as long as you brought it up, how many goals do you think I'm going to score on you? i say the over/under is at 4."  
"FOUR?! Are you fucking serious! talk like that is going to get you nothing but trouble."  
"i am being serious. we have a good midfield so i'm free to do all the damage i want up top. And who knows you better than me. I know all your moves by heart Solo. This should be pretty easy for me if I'm being honest."  
"Kelley, I am going to say this as calmly as i possibly can. If you think for one minute i am going to let you score on me, i will get down on my knees..."  
"ooooo i like where this is going"  
"Kelley Stop! like i said, I will get down on my knees and beg you for mercy in front of everyone."  
"is that a bet you are proposing?"  
"i don't propose at all Kell."  
"not yet"  
"hmmm? what was that?""  
"Nothing. Well i do propose. I propose that i will score on you this weekend. It's my favorite thing to do."  
"Kelleeeey. I'm going to hang up. Before."  
"Before what?"  
"Before you say something you can't take back. Goodnight Kell. see you soon. have a safe flight."  
"Goodnight Hope. see you soon."


	2. Chapter 2

The place wasn't anything fancy. The Sky Blue team all wore their joggers and team sweatshirts to dinner. But it was the place across the street from the Seattle eatery where they had just arrived that caught Kelley's eye. She chose a spot at the table where she could watch the front entrance of the little bistro that Hope had taken her too when the National Team played in Hope's hometown after winning the World Cup. Kelley watched, waiting for a ghost to appear. Ready to jump from her chair and run to see the person she urgently desired to see. Through the salad, main course, and a celebratory cupcake for a teammate's birthday, Kelley acted engaged with the conversation's happening around the table but one eye was always fixated on that damn bistro. well, one eye and all of her thoughts. 

*********  
2015  
"Well isn't this fancy"  
"I don't know about fancy Kell, but it is nice."  
"If I have to wear something other than my boots and training gear these days, i consider it fancy."  
"It does seem that way lately."  
"Any recommendations?"  
"I always get the duck ravioli. It's hearty but it won't weigh you down."  
"Duck?! HOPE. Ducks are cute and funny and relaxing to watch. you can't eat duck"  
"Ducks are also very delicious and you would find that out if you tried it."  
"NEVER"  
"We'll see. you can try some of mine. Now....raise your glass with me. To Kelley. I said I would take you to dinner if you scored in the World Cup and you little shit, you did just that. I'm so proud of you and I hope that this scoring thing becomes a trend and not just a one time thing."  
"Thank you Hope. And to you as well. You owned that goal. I have never seen you play better. I don't think, no, I know we wouldn't have even come close to winning if we didn't have you in between those posts."  
"Thank you Kelley."  
"It's kinda funny."  
"what is?"  
"In London, it was me telling you that we would win the whole thing. And this time around, it was you who kept telling me you had the feeling that something amazing was going to happen."  
"It does appear that is the case doesn't it?"  
"It's like when one of us is unsure, the other one knows how to prop the other one up. We make a good pair."  
"We make good teammates."  
"And friends."  
"And Friends"  
'You know Hope, you said something wrong in your toast to me."  
"I did?"  
"Yeah, what the deal was in Canada was that if I scored, you would take me to your favorite place."  
"this is my favorite place. I eat here all the time. "  
"yes, but favorite place doesn't necessarily mean favorite restaurant. i meant your favorite 'place' in Seattle. the place where you feel most at home. Happy."  
"Ohhhh, i see. Well, that would be my home. With my dogs, sitting by the window looking out over the bay."  
"I know."  
"I can't take you there Kell."  
"I know."  
"I wanted too. Many times. But..."  
"I Know."  
"I do think of you sometimes when I'm at my favorite place."  
"I know"  
"But there is someone else.."  
"I KNOW"  
"Can we change the subject and enjoy our food? tonight is special for me and we won't get many chances to do this again. I just want to enjoy my time with you."  
"i know. I want to enjoy my time with you too, Hope. And watch you mercilessly eat a beautiful water dwelling bird. Meany"  
"Thank you, Kelley, You always know the right thing to say."  
"Hope?"  
"Hmm?"  
"I am enjoying my time. With you. Here."  
"I know."


	3. Chapter 3

The Sky Blue team didn't have practice til later that night so they all had free time during the day to do whatever they wanted to do. Guti and Sam went on a tour with her parents. Christie met up with an old friend. Others went walking around to the famous spots of Seattle. Kelley. Kelley didn't want to do anything but wait until she could get a ball at her feet. But it got lonely in that hotel room. bored with social media and tv, she dressed herself and left her residence for the weekend. At first it was meant to just be a walk around a couple of blocks. Get some fresh air and stretch her legs, but everything reminded her of Hope. A little coffee place Hope had recommended. The street corner where a vendor sells the best fish tacos late at night Hope had taken her too one time. The space needle where the stadium that used to be Hope's lay just below. It was an out of body experience for Kelley when she lifted her arm to signal for the yellow cab coming upon her. Like she had no control of what she was doing. She even felt betrayed by her legs as they climbed into the back seat. She cursed her mouth as it spat out the address of the residence she needed to see. It was her eyes that caused her the most pain when they finally pulled up to said house. There it was. Hope's old home. There was a new family living there now. A little blond girl playing in the front yard. No cats, or dogs, or even chickens. Just children. The children Kelley fantasized about having with her favorite goalkeeper one day.   
*********  
2013

"I know you still love me Hope. I know that hasn't changed. I can feel it in the way you look at me. i feel it in the way you say my name. i certainly felt it in the way you just did what you did to me upstairs..."

"KELL STOP!!! That was wrong and we both know it. It shouldn't have happened. Not here."

"Then where, Hope? Where would you like to fuck me, love me, then leave me?"

"No where kelley. I'm so sorry. I'm married and this can't happen again."

"You said that the last time. and the time after that..."

"I get it! OK?! I can be big enough to admit that i might not have all my sensiblities when it comes to you but I am strong enough to know that this needs to end. For good this time."

"Hope listen to me. I love you. And if I say it every second for the rest of my life it still won't be enough. I love you. We can do this, Hope. We CAN be together. I will have your babies. YOu don't even have to take time off. I will! We will have beautiful babies and dogs and chickens and be HAPPY, HOPE! god, isn't that what you've always wanted? To be happy? I can do that for you. I am doing that for you when you let me. Give us a chance Hope. Please. I"m begging you"

"Kell, I can't. I'm sorry. You do deserve to be happy but it isn't goingto be with me. It just isn't."

"I can't believe this. I can't believe i'm actually witnessing someone throw a chance at happiness just because, what? You're afraid to be with a woman, Hope? You're so stubborn you would stay married to someone you don't love just so people wont say 'i told you so'? I just can't believe this is happening. Again. Say it again Hope. Tell me you don't love me. Tell me to leave. But i swear to God, Hope, if you do, You can't come crawling back to me when you're bored, or lonely, or you miss the one good thing you had. Cause once i leave this house, that's it. I'm done. I'm done playing your games. I'm done waiting on you. I gave you my everything. I have nothing else to give."

"Please leave Kelley."

"Jesus, what are you crying for? Upest you can't have your cake and eat me too? fuck off Hope! See you at camp. but only because I can't avoid it. Otherwise I would."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this sucks but I wanted to honor the game this weekend in some old fashioned O'solo way. angst and sadness. haha. let me know whether the ending should be happy or sad cause right now, i have ideas about both.


	4. Chapter 4

The game was officially a success but Kelley is a competitor and one point tonight was a dissapointment for her especially after all the chances her team had to score and could not capitalize. When the final whistle blew, Kelley immediately turned to the opposing teams goal like she normally did to go shake hands with Hope. It was muscle memory, really. But Hope was not there. The weight of the weekend finally landed on Kelley and tears began to well in her eyes. But before she could let a single tear fall, she heard the Reign players making a fuss near their bench. And then she heard it. The laugh. That laugh that made Kelley weak in the knees. The laugh that Kelley made her personal mission in life to be the one to be responsible for. 

She turned toward the commotion to see Hope towering above her former team, laughing and carrying on. Kelley stood paralyzed at the sight in front of her. She couldn't believe it. As the team began to disperse from her, Hope raised her eyes to meet her friend's. With a shy smile, she waved. Kelley nodded her head back to Hope and they stood motionless just watching each other. Hope was the first to make her way towards Kelley. 

"Hey. Good game tonight. You guys pretty much had control of the match for most of the night."

"Really, Hope? Good game? I don't see you in forever and all you have to say to me is good game?"

"well, what do you want me to say to you? You HAD a good game."

"What are you doing here Hope? What?....why?....I just didn't expect..."

"Still got a way with words I see."

"Shut up. I'm a little flustered, ok. I just didn't expect to see you here."

"It was last minute really. I felt like I needed to be here to support my team."

"Your team, huh?"

"Yesssss. MY team. They are still my team. Always will be. Now, do I get a hug hello?"

"Yeah. Yeah. I'm sorry. How are you? How's your shoulder?"

"Good and good."

" Who are you here with? Where's jeremy?"

"He's back in North Carolina. I came by myself."

"What are you doing after? Can we talk. Like for real talk. I can buy you dinner at that place you took me after the World Cup."

"I would like that very much Kell"

"YOu know. I have a confession to make."

"what's that?"

"When i said I didn't expect you here. I did. but not in a 'i knew you would be here' kind of way. i just...I felt you everywhere, Hope. In the streets. On this field. It just felt...wierd being in this town without you being here too. I kept expecting to see you everywhere i went and you weren't there. I didn't like that feeling."

"Oh. Well I have a confession too. I didn't come just to see my team play.''

"You didn't?"

"No. you always played so good, Kelley, when you play us. It was one of the reasons I looked foward towards our match ups against each other."

"You came to see me play?"

"Of course. Kell, I wasn't going to come this weekend. But I couldn't not. The pull was more powerful than I ever could be to not come."

"You ok Hope?"

"When I said Jerramy was in North Carolina, Well he is, But he's packing. His things. He's leaving."

"Shit Hope. I'm so sorry. Are you ok?"

"Actually...I am. I really am. It's what I want. You see, when we moved into our house, well, let me put it this way...When I moved to North Carolina, I moved to get away. I thought if I could be somewhere different...I could be someone different. But the thing is...I realized rather quickly that living in a different place doesn't make things better if you aren't living there with the person you love."

"Oh. I guess I understand. I mean my apartment in Atlanta is nice but it would be nice to share it with someone."

"You aren't getting this are you Kelley?"

"What?"

"I want to live in a place. any place. With the person I loooove."

"Oh. Oooooooh. Oh. Ok. I see. well, it sounds like we have a lot to talk about then."

"I would like that very much."

"Stay here. Don't go anywhere. I'm about to break the world record for quickest shower and then we will talk. Ok?"

"Ok. I'm not going anywhere Kell. Hurry up."

"Hey Hope?"

"Hmmm?"

"I thought not seeing you anymore was going to be something I was going to have to start to get used too. That it was going to be the new normal. I hated it"

"Kelley, there will never be anything normal about us two. And that's what makes it so unusually beautiful. Now hurry. I'm hungry and you promised to buy me dinner"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> might do an alternate, not so happy ending. i kinda liked it better.

**Author's Note:**

> I will finish this. probably the night of or the day after the game.  
> comments are welcome.


End file.
